Hello,

I know this is for woodworking but I have seen some Pergola posts before and
I was looking for suggestions/ideas. I am going to build a new deck and it
will be about 20 feet by 20 feet. The deck faces SW so I need to add shade
to it. I wanted to build a Pergola over it but I can't figure out how I
would do it without putting a post in the middle. Basically how would I
span 20 feet? I am in Northern MA so snow load is an issue.

BTW - If anyone knows of a more appropriate group to post this to please let
me know.

Thank You

Larry C

20'x 20' is a pretty big pergola. Usually they are a bit more intimate.
Anyway, you would do it pretty much the same way you do a small pergola
except use bigger members.
They will need to be pretty stout and the connections will require some
consideration.
This is not something you are going to be able to knock together with some
2x4 and nails.
Any competent structural engineer can do the appropriate calculations. In
fact I would expect for such a large structure that your local building
officials will require structural calculations.

-j

"L C" wrote in message
news:I6jue.5109$2s.115@trndny02...
Hello,

I know this is for woodworking but I have seen some Pergola posts before
and
I was looking for suggestions/ideas. I am going to build a new deck and
it
will be about 20 feet by 20 feet. The deck faces SW so I need to add
shade
to it. I wanted to build a Pergola over it but I can't figure out how I
would do it without putting a post in the middle. Basically how would I
span 20 feet? I am in Northern MA so snow load is an issue.

BTW - If anyone knows of a more appropriate group to post this to please
let
me know.

Thank You

Larry C

On Wed, 22 Jun 2005 19:38:16 GMT, "L C" wrote:

Hello,

I know this is for woodworking but I have seen some Pergola posts before and
I was looking for suggestions/ideas. I am going to build a new deck and it
will be about 20 feet by 20 feet. The deck faces SW so I need to add shade
to it. I wanted to build a Pergola over it but I can't figure out how I
would do it without putting a post in the middle. Basically how would I
span 20 feet? I am in Northern MA so snow load is an issue.

How is 'snow load' a factor on a pergola? A pergola is an open rafter
structure whose only 'snow load' would be the weight of snow on the
thickness of a rafter. I suspect the rafter load itself is far more
significant than any snow that could possibly accumulate on it.

TWS

"TWS" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 22 Jun 2005 19:38:16 GMT, "L C" wrote:

Hello,

I know this is for woodworking but I have seen some Pergola posts before
and
I was looking for suggestions/ideas. I am going to build a new deck and
it
will be about 20 feet by 20 feet. The deck faces SW so I need to add
shade
to it. I wanted to build a Pergola over it but I can't figure out how I
would do it without putting a post in the middle. Basically how would I
span 20 feet? I am in Northern MA so snow load is an issue.

How is 'snow load' a factor on a pergola? A pergola is an open rafter
structure whose only 'snow load' would be the weight of snow on the
thickness of a rafter. I suspect the rafter load itself is far more
significant than any snow that could possibly accumulate on it.

TWS

But what about the occasional squirrel or the more robust bird here or
there.......mjh